Learn low pitch drums and increase your rhythm awareness
In the last video we talked about simple hand drum rhythms to develop dialog and why it’s important to have different pitched drums.
Over the years I have heard people say they want to be able play a musical instrument but feel that they’re not musical.
Well this series will help give you the tools to build your musical awareness and develop your rhythmical skills so you can play along to music.
So if you haven’t checked out the last video, go and watch it now Cool Drum Beats for Beginners.
In today’s video we’re going to look at the bass line of a percussion ensemble or drum circle. And the role it plays with other hand drums. Plus a few tips on tuning stick the low pitch drums.
Today I’m going to show two simple bass lines playing three Remo Bahia drums (low pitch drums). If you’re playing in a drum circle with others its best to keep the rhythms nice and simple to help lock in the time and help others to join in the rhythm.
What do I mean by the heart of drumming music?
Every drum pitch has a role to play within the music. For example there are 3 drum pitches within an ensemble the low, medium and high pitch drums and each pitch has its own frequencies. For example the low pitch drum ranges around about 100 kz.
So around this frequency it can be quite soothing, kind of like a body massage. Or invigorating and stimulating. The low pitch drums make us move, make us dance even send us into a meditative state.
You could have many low pitched drums in a drum circle or culturally specific music such as samba band or West African drumming ensemble with one person for each drum or one person for the whole drum line.
I call the low pitch drums the heart of drumming music. The role they play is the foundation of the music. They support all other instruments within the ensemble. When you have a locked in low pitch groove that is steady and keeping time, all other rhythms and percussion instruments have the freedom to explore and create over the top over the bass line.
There are lots of low pitch drums to play. For example you could have the toms from a drum kit, or dundun drums from West Africa, or surdo from Brazil. In this case I’m playing 3 Remo Bahia drums. These drums are my favourite to play. They are warm and really resonate sound.
Tuning you drums (and make friends)
You might be playing with others who play a melodic instrument, such as marimba, American native flute or ukulele. So you might like to tune your drums to help create more harmonic music (plus others who you are playing with will really appreciate it) . You be surprises at how much better the music sounds when all instruments are resonating beautifully together.
Tuning your drums can be easy once you’ve done it a few times with a tuner. I use a tuner called Snark, which can easily be purchase from a music store for about $50 AUS or simply get an app for your phone, (I also use when I’m out and about an app called G-String). When you take time in tuning your drums you begin to increase your listening skills and start to tune your ear which can help better your musicality.
Low pitch drum rhythm notation
O = Open tone M = Muffled
Groove One
Low pitch rhythm one
Medium pitch rhythm two
High pitch rhythm three
Groove two
Low pitch rhythm one
Medium pitch rhythm two
High pitch rhythm three
What would it feel like to bring the power of rhythm to your community?
My drum circle facilitator training will help build your confidence and increase your knowledge.
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